The German Gavial Plus

The German Gavial Plus is the product of continued cooperation between Rheinmetall and Panhard, the well-respected French manufacturer of wheeled tactical vehicles. Named after a well-armoured species of Indian crocodile, this enhanced version of the French Army’s Petit Véhicule Protégé (PVP) can be configured for a variety of tactical roles in extremely tough environments.

The German Gavial Plus

Sharing a majority of components with the Gavial which is in French Army service, the Gavial Plus is a highly mobile, well-protected, all-wheel-drive vehicle, light and compact enough to be airlifted by a CH 47 transport helicopter as under slung cargo.

The Gavial Plus offers outstanding protection against small arms fire, mines and IED’s. It is powered by an advanced high-performance diesel engine, and handles extremely well both on and off the road, even in shifting sand dunes and rocky terrain.

The driver’s cab is equipped with a high-performance climate control system, enabling the crew to operate effectively even under extreme climatic conditions with no drop in efficiency.

Featuring high ground clearance, robust rigid axles and a tyre pressure regulator, this highly manoeuvrable all-terrain vehicle is impervious to dust, heat and abrupt changes in weather conditions. In short, the Gavial is superbly adapted to worldwide operations.

With a combat weight of 7.5 tons and a large internal volume of 6.6 m3 the Gavial Plus (known in French as the PVP-HD) can carry up to seven soldiers and lends itself to a wide variety of missions, including reconnaissance, command and control, transport and patrolling. It can also be equipped with various weapon stations. Moreover, there is still enough space in the rear of the vehicle for stowing mission-relevant material and the soldiers’ personal equipment.

The prototype of the Gavial Plus completed intense trials in 2009 and will be available for serial production in 2010.